SID - SIDNAD Vol. 3 ~TOUR 2008 Sentimental Macchiato~

Although SID has released clips of their live shows before, they have never come out with a full concert DVD...until now. SIDNAD Vol. 3 ~TOUR 2008 Sentimental Macchiato~ documents the final show of the Sentimental Macchiato Tour Final Period at Yoyogi, and it also shows some highlights from the entire tour. At two hours long, it's a bit lengthy, but SIDNAD Vol. 3 is well worth your time.

The DVD starts with little preamble; after the warnings flash across the screen, there is a shot of the crowd counting down. Then, amid fog and pink lights, shadows of the members appear on stage. The shadows vanish with the first notes of the song Shougen and the members stand in full view. Mao, wearing red feathers in his headband and a brilliantly red haori, is by far the most colorful one on stage. Shinji, all in black, looks sleek and cool, while Aki pulls off a trendier look with his white, sleeveless trench coat and black armwarmers. Yuuya is in black as well, though it's hard to really see what he's wearing as he is surrounded by a fortress of drums.

After Shougen, the band jumps into some of their older songs. Both Aki and Shinji are clearly excited, running all over the stage and bouncing around constantly through Natsukoi, Sweet? and smile. Mao shows particularly enthusiasm during Mitsuyubi, belting out each word clearly and precisely on beat. During Propose, there are plenty of shots of Shinji playing backup singer, shouting "NO" to Mao's "YES."

Hanabira is a point of rest, with Aki and Shinji sitting down, but it is still mesmerizing to watch. The images of scattering sakura on the background screen intermingled with the projected lyrics create a soft and gorgeous mood. It's as though Mao were singing a letter that is fading away in a breeze. Carrying on with his acoustic guitar, Shinji begins Yuuwaku Collection under a flood of red lights, and Yuuya accompanies him on bongo drums.

Things really heat up with Otegami. As the song starts, columns of flame go up around the stage and the entire arena is bathed in an orange-red glow. All the members are really into it, and the song is edgier and sharper than usual. Things slow down a bit again as Mascara is played, and pick right back up with and boyfriend. and boyfriend is insanely cheerful and all the members seem to love it; none of them can stop smiling as they perform it.

For Dear Tokyo, Yuuya, Shinji and Aki sing parts of the chorus, and Yuuya looks the most excited to join in. Mao and Aki lead the audience in clapping during the bridge, and it's amazing how well the audience follows them: everyone is perfectly in sync, so the beat is clear throughout the venue. Afterwards, Mao loses his haori and finishes the concert in a black wifebeater, and there are tantalizing moments where his shoulder tattoo is visible. The concert unofficially ends with some of SID's harder songs, and then there is the encore.

Make sure to keep watching even after the credits roll for Binetsu! Binetsu heralds the true end of the DVD, as it's over once the members link hands and bow.

While the performances on the DVD are fun to watch, for true SID fans it will be the clips of the various MCs from the entire tour that make it worth its money. The clips are put together to show some of the running jokes throughout the tour, such as when Mao purposefully forgot to include Yuuya while introducing the band and only "remembers" once Yuuya protests on his drums. There are also clips of Aki's MCs, during which he is as awkwardly charming as ever, and a particularly memorable montage of Shinji's solo time. Shinji teases the fans and takes off his tour shirt, only to reveal a white T-shirt beneath with "juumangoku" written on it in kanji. (His hometown, Saitama, is famous for a confectionery called juumangoku.) For those who follow his blog, it is a real treat to see, as well as getting to hear Shinji say "sorry about today" during an MC.

It is a little disappointing that the clips were edited to show only a small portion of the MCs, but as SID prides itself on being a live band, it's no wonder they want to keep certain aspects of their shows only for those who attended.

SIDNAD Vol. 3 is a great way for people to get to know about SID; the scenes from their concert are beautiful and the clips show off the band's quirky personality. For those who may never be able to attend a SID concert, it's a window into SID's world that's definitely worth having, and for those who were lucky enough to attend a show on the tour, it's a nice way to relive the memories.